Richard Simon
Editor’s note: Rob, a longtime reader of CleanTechnica and a businessman and property manager in western North Carolina, has addressed his concern about the climate by becoming green with his rental properties and is currently transitioning to electric vehicles. He provides a summary of his experience navigating his first EV purchase in this essay.
My electric vehicle (EV) journey began for me in the spring of 2021, when I discovered that the air conditioning in our awesome but very ancient Honda Insight was no longer functional. I sincerely want an electric vehicle and did not desire to endure another summer of sweltering while driving. I talked to friends, joined a local EV club, watched YouTube videos, and read what felt like a couple hundred articles on CleanTechnica and other websites about various electric cars since I’m a thorough guy.
“So many of the EVs that are available are amazing, but honestly, just purchase a Tesla, you will love it,” a close friend who also owns a Tesla told me. I started with Tesla, but I soon realized that it wasn’t really a good fit for me. There were specific factors, such as the price being higher than I had ever spent on a car, the fact that it would be my first electric vehicle, and the fact that the closest test drive location was two hours away from my home. I chose to go elsewhere after hearing about the company’s alleged unfair labor practices and being turned off by Elon Musk’s frequently outlandish comments.
With all of this going through my head, I began looking more closely at the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt, with an emphasis on a pre-owned Chevy Volt. We set out to test drive and purchase the one I selected at a dealer a few hours away. When we arrived, something didn’t feel quite right, and neither did the way the car drove, the layout of the front cabin, nor the comfort of the front seats. We decided to take a 3-hour drive home in the Insight after having a talk while we went around the dealership parking lot. Though strange, it was the right choice for us. In an almost prophetic turn of events, there was a severe downpour that afternoon, and I eventually pulled over because I couldn’t see. This made me absolutely certain that I would get a newer vehicle with better safety features.
Early in the summer, a few weeks after our Volt trip, I called the Nissan dealer in our area. Thankfully, they had a new Leaf on the lot that was open for a test drive. After driving it and falling in love with it, we decided to buy it.
I fell in love with driving an electric vehicle in the spring of this year, around six months after purchasing the Leaf, and I began to wish that all of our cars were electric. I’ve been added to the waiting lists for a Rivian SUV and a Volkswagen ID.4 throughout the past year. The fees with the $7,500 tax rebate looked reasonable at the time, and the deposits were completely refundable. The fact that the delivery dates were so far in the future and the deposits were so little undoubtedly also helped. I had attended a Drive Electric event the day before I made the Rivian appointment, and the unexpected highlight was a Rivian pickup. The truck was stunning to see in person. It was the most beautiful car I had ever seen, and unlike any other car, it spoke to me deeply.
I recall seeing a Tesla club from western North Carolina with a tent and some pretty good cars close by. Two or three people were at the tent enquiring about Tesla. About 20 individuals were gathered around a single Rivian truck when I panned over about 100 feet. It appeared to be a celebrity among the other EVs because some people had their cellphones out and were recording films and taking photos. I felt bad for the sweet couple who had just received their truck a few days prior and had to spend the next two hours answering inquiries. This was a novel experience for me because I’ve never been that enthusiastic about automobiles. When I got home that evening, I found myself on the computer fawning over the Rivian website, creating an SUV, and placing my order after the kids were in bed.
I still have my name on the list for an ID.4, but I don’t know when it will arrive. My order had to be redone recently, and while there are no assurances, I’m hoping the Tennessee plant will have it in stock by 2023. Thank goodness, the cost only increased by a few thousand. I completed the process by signing a purchase agreement that, should I choose to accept delivery, should allow me to be eligible for the $7,500 tax credit. It’s difficult to feel more certain about the delivery date in the absence of one. However, I’ve always wanted an AWD SUV because I live in a hilly area with sporadic snowfall. I’m not sure if I’ll accept delivery; I guess I’ll simply have to wait till the car is fully ready and see how things go in my life.
The Rivian’s price has increased as well, but by a lot more – by roughly $20,000. This was a little too much for me, therefore I’ve made the decision to cancel my April reservation with Rivian. I was kind of in love with R1S, so this tears my heart a little. I’m hoping that in a few more years, the cost will go down or that I can locate something comparable to a Canoo or an ID Buzz for a fair price. My ideal car, in my opinion, would be an electric van with built-in solar panels, but it won’t be available for at least another five years.
For a family of four and a hound dog, we currently have a 2013 Toyota Minivan and a Nissan Leaf. Although I actually no longer love driving the minivan, it can be useful for the few times a year when we all go camping or travel together. I think that a lot of people are in circumstances like this where they are ready to purchase a new vehicle but are having difficulty doing so. Although I believe I have been extremely patient, the recent months have been extremely irritating for me due to the shortage of vehicles. I feel like I looked at every car I was interested in, but either it wasn’t the proper fit for me, or there weren’t any left. Most recently, I searched for a new Chevy Bolt but was unable to locate one that could be purchased on the East Coast.
My opinions of many automakers have also changed. The CEO of Volkswagen was recently let go, and in my opinion, he did a tremendous job accelerating the switch to electric vehicles. I still adore Rivian, but the new price is above my means, and the SUV with the maximum load might not even be offered this year.
That brings me full circle back to a Tesla Model 3. Despite the fact that I dislike Elon Musk and some of Tesla’s labor policies, they have sold more than 3 million electric cars globally, and I’ve always admired the way the sedans from the company look. As a result, placing my order was incredibly simple in comparison to other companies I’ve used. I’m hoping to take delivery by January 2023. It took some time for my partner and I to discuss how we felt about Tesla’s outspoken CEO and how it had tempered our enthusiasm for backing the business. However, we also understand that the company employs thousands of fantastic individuals who work hard and are devoted to producing excellent electric vehicles behind the scenes. I’m quite happy to be acquiring a car that I can use to access the supercharger network and drive anyplace in North America.
Many of these stories may sound familiar to you if you are debating whether to purchase a Tesla or another brand of electric vehicle. When we learn how much of an incentive a Tesla vehicle will be eligible for under the new rules, I’ve also been wondering if the cost and demand for them will go up. When the Model 3 is ready, I just need to choose whether to sell my Leaf or my minivan. I am worried about the future of ChadMo’s fast charging support and what it will be like to drive a Leaf for long distances. The minivan, though, will probably be the first to perish, I have a feeling. I adore campers and vans, but my minivan doesn’t exactly seem to reflect that. Since both of my children are in middle school, I believe it is time to end our relationship and, ideally, permanently stop using gasoline.
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